Electronically Assisting Communication for Health Professionals

New information and computing technologies offer cost efficient and effective learning opportunities for health care professionals. The Assisted Electronic Communication project is prototyping, administering and evaluating a digital discourse system for health care professionals within an acute Hospital. Health care staff participating in the study are able to access and contribute to threaded, asynchronous discussions and themed information in the context of critical work documents. Early indications are that the system is viewed very positively, and seen as a way of critically engaging with new material that is getting closer to an idealized learning in the workplace

Technologies for electronically Assisting Nursing Communication

New information and computing technologies promise new virtual learnin g and communication opportunities within the real communities of health care professionals. The Assisted Electronic Communication project has been prototyping , administering and evaluating an integrated digital discourse, webcasting and digital newsletter system, for health care professionals within one such community - an acute UK National Health Service Hospital. The first two of these systems are discussed in this paper. The principal group of health care staff participating in this study were nurses, who were able to access and contribute to threaded, asynchronous discussions and themed information in the context of critical work documents, view and interact with live webcasts by key hospital personnel, and view and submit stories to an online newsletter. The system has been evaluated very positively, and is seen by staff as a way of critically engaging with new material that is getting closer to an idealized vision of learning in the workplace

International perspectives on social media guidance for nurses: a content analysis

Aim: This article reports the results of an analysis of the content of national and international professional guidance on social media for the nursing profession. The aim was to consolidate good practice examples of social media guidelines, and inform the development of comprehensive guidance. Method: A scoping search of professional nursing bodies’ and organisations’ social media guidance documents was undertaken using google search. Results: 34 guidance documents were located, and a content analysis of these was conducted. Conclusion: The results, combined with a review of competency hearings and literature, indicate that guidance should cover the context of social media, and support nurses to navigate and negotiate the differences between the real and online domains to help them translate awareness into actions

Application of Smartphone Technology in the Management and Treatment of Mental Illnesses

Abstract: Background: Mental illness continues to be a significant Public Health problem and the innovative use of technology to improve the treatment of mental illnesses holds great public health relevance. Over the past decade telecommunications technology has been used to increase access to and improve the quality of mental health care. There is current evidence that the use of landline and cellular telephones, computer-assisted therapy, and videoconferencing can be effective in improving treatment outcomes. Smartphones, as the newest development in communications technology, offer a new opportunity to improve mental health care through their versatile nature to perform a variety of functions. Methods: A critical literature review was performed to examine the potential of smartphones to increase access to mental health care, reduce barriers to care, and improve patient treatment outcomes. The review was performed by searching several electronic databases using a combination of keywords related to smartphones and mental health interventions using mobile devices. Literature concerning the use of cell phones, handheld computers, and smartphones to improve access to mental health care and improve treatment outcomes was identified.Results: The majority of studies identified were feasibility and pilot studies on patients with a variety of diagnosed mental illnesses using cell phones and PDAs. Authors report that most study participants, with some exceptions, were capable of using a mobile device and found them acceptable to use. Few studies extensively measured treatment outcomes and instead reported preliminary results and presented case illustrations. Studies which used smartphones successfully used them collect data on patients and deliver multimedia interventions. Discussion: The current literature offers encouraging evidence for the use of smartphones to improve mental health care but also reflects the lack of research conducted using smartphones. Studies which examine care provider use of smartphones to improve care is encouraging but has limited generalizability to mental health care. The feasibility of patient use of smartphones is also encouraging, but questions remain about feasibility in some sub-populations, particularly schizophrenia patients. Pilot testing of mobile devices and applications can greatly increase the feasibility of using smartphones in mental health care. Patients who are unfamiliar with smartphones will likely need initial training and support in their use. Conclusion: The literature identified several ways in which smartphones can increase access to care, reduce barriers, and improve treatment outcomes. Study results were encouraging but scientifically weak. Future studies are needed replicating results of studies using cell phones and PDAs on smartphones. Larger and higher quality studies are needed to examine the feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of smartphones to deliver multiple component interventions that improve access to mental health care and improve treatment outcomes

Mental health and addiction credential in primary care

This report is an evaluation of a demonstration coordinated by Health Workforce New Zealand. The credential aims to recognise and boost the skills and knowledge of registered nurses who work with patients with mental health and addiction needs. This evaluation report finds credentialing: improves the competence and confidence of primary care nurses working with patients with mental health and addiction issues aids understanding of the integration of physical and mental health encourages closer collaboration with secondary care and community practitioners. Barriers for wider implementation include: limited understanding of the value credentialing can add to staff competency difficulty obtaining release time for nurses to attend education and training lack of available education resources

Horizons and Perspectives eHealth

EHealth platform represents the combined use of IT technologies and electronic communications in the health field, using data (electronically transmitted, stored and accessed) with a clinical, educational and administrative purpose, both locally and distantly. eHealth has the significant capability to increase the movement in the direction of services centered towards citizens, improving the quality of the medical act, integrating the application of Medical Informatics (Medical IT), Telemedicine, Health Telematics, Telehealth, Biomedical engineering and Bioinformatics. Supporting the creation, development and recognition of a specific eHealth zone, the European Union policies develop through its programs FP6 and FP7, European-scale projects in the medical information technologies (the electronic health cards, online medical care, medical web portals, trans-European nets for medical information, biotechnology, generic instruments and medical technologies for health, ICT mobile systems for remote monitoring). The medical applications like electronic health cards ePrescription, eServices, medical eLearning, eSupervision, eAdministration are integral part of what is the new medical branch-eHealth, being in a continuous expansion due to the support from the global political, financial and medical organizations; the degree of implementation of the eHealth platform varying according to the development level of the communication infrastructure, allocated funds, intensive political priorities and governmental organizations opened to the new IT challenges.eHealth, telemedicine, telehealth, bioinformatics, telematics

HITECH Revisited

Assesses the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, which offers incentives to adopt and meaningfully use electronic health records. Recommendations include revised criteria, incremental approaches, and targeted policies

Access Update, August 2010

Monthly newsletter for the Iowa Department of Public Healt

Cities, connections and cronyism

Recent developments in the global system of cities present a curious paradox. With the cost of communications declining almost to zero and substantial, though less dramatic reductions in transport costs, there is now little technical requirement for most kinds of production to be undertaken in any particular location, or for elements of production chains to be located close to each other. This fact has had dramatic consequences for the organisation of manufacturing industry. Simple production chains involving the import of raw materials, usually from developing countries, for processing in a specialised centre, have been replaced by far more complex structures. Yet, in important respects, the dominance of a small number of Òglobal citiesÓ has never been greater. In this paper, it is argued that the dominance of global cities reflects a desire for clustering on the part of finance sector professionals and corporate executives. It seems likely that such clustering provides private benefits by enhancing the value of personal contacts, but reduces the efficiency and profitability of the corporate sector.